


Cold

by Inurshuh



Series: The Things We Hate And Love [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Bickering like a married couple, F/M, Zoro hates being cold, emotionally stunted Tashigi, emotionally stunted Zoro, lowkey friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:33:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24404356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inurshuh/pseuds/Inurshuh
Summary: Zoro fucking hates being cold. He hadn’t known how much until now, but now he knew. He hated the cold more than he hated the Euro-Cook, or when one his swords broke. He hated the cold more than he fucking hated losing, and that was saying something.He was shivering, it was freezing, and he couldn’t stop his body from aching. Pretty sure this is hypothermia. I don’t think I’ve ever been this fucking cold before.They’d been fighting like they always do, that damnable Marine Woman.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro & Tashigi, Roronoa Zoro/Tashigi
Series: The Things We Hate And Love [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817089
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44
Collections: ZoTash prompts, ZoTash prompts: cold





	Cold

**Author's Note:**

> PROMPT: ONE SHOT / COLD
> 
> Notes: Okay, so this is for the Tumblr prompt “One-Shot / Cold”. Figured it was probably too long to post there. Whoops.
> 
> Probably, for sure, definitely OOC characters, and post-Punk Hazard. I usually only write from Tashigi’s POV, so I decided to try my hand at Zoro’s. Excessive swearing because its' Zoro. As always, I don't own One Piece *bows down to Oda*
> 
> I’m trying my hand at this writing thing, and feedback is always welcomed!
> 
> Enjoy!

Zoro fucking hates being cold. He hadn’t known how much until now, but now he _knew._ He hated the cold more than he hated the Euro-Cook, or when one of his swords broke. He hated the cold more than he fucking hated losing, and that was saying something.

He was shivering, it was **freezing** , and he couldn’t stop his body from aching. _Pretty sure this is hypothermia. I don’t think I’ve ever been this fucking cold before._

They’d been fighting like they always do, that damnable Marine Woman, but this time there’d been a storm causing waves larger than the sunny, larger than Smoker’s warship. The sharp clang of their blades drowned out by the thunder and lightning crashing around them. He’d barely been able to keep his footing solid on The Thousand Sunny's deck as the ship rolled side to side from the waves and Smoker’s cannons. _We just gotta knock them back and off to their ship, and then we can get out. The Coup-de-burst will be ready by then._

Eying the chaos all around, his good eye looked from Luffy taking note of Sanji fighting a cluster of G-5 by the kitchen, and Robin helping Usopp take care of those trying to climb overboard to the sunny. _But where’s Luffy? And where’s Smoker? And where’s the witch woman and the skeleton- Ahh there they are. ‘Course the witch is having a hay day with the fucking lightning._ He’s glad that they’re still at the harbor- because these waves were fucking rough.

A sharp cry gets his attention, and - of course. Of fucking course. Tashigi’s stumbling barely able to keep her footing and suddenly trips over her own two feet. _Shit, way to go, the sword nerd. Way to fucking go. You leave my sight for one goddamn second. We’re still fucking_ ** _docked_ **_and you’re falling into the ocean._ Sprinting forward, he jumps forward and barely grasps her glove covered hand as she’s taken by another current and goes overboard. Sees her hit her head on the side of The Thousand Sunny as she hits the water. _Shit, that was blood on her head._

 _Fuck. Just fuck._ He doesn’t even think twice before he jumps in, making eye contact with Smoker for a moment. _Did fucking Smokey just give me a nod? A fucking nod? The shit I do for you, marine woman. The shit I do for you._ Zoro doesn’t bother looking for Luffy’s approval- knows what he’d ask him to do before he even does it.

It’s a wonder he sees her, the water’s angry, waves knocking into him and he almost collides with the side of The Thousand Sunny when he sees Tashigi floating deeper but clasping to her sword with a death grip. 

_There you are, sword nerd. You better stop sinking or I swear to God I’m going to start robbing everyone with Wado and you’ll be turning in your watery grave, Captain Glasses. Shit, you’ll grasp your sword with your last breath, but not try to swim_ ** _up._ ** _What is wrong with the women in my life?_ Hands grip her waist _Was she always this fucking tiny?_ And they’re breaking the surface just a few minutes later. 

It’s a wonder they’re even alive. Franky spots them in the middle of throwing two marines back overboard and managing to get them to the marine ship. _Fucking Franky. Good aim._ A quick glance down and he eyes the marine woman whose head is tucked underneath his neck, breathing shallow and slow but strong. _But fuck that’s a lot more blood than he thought._

Smacking her face, “Oii, Cap’n Glasses, wake up. You gotta climb-”

Zoro doesn’t even get a moment to finish his sentence before he hears Luffy’s arm extend around them, jerking them back on deck. “HEY ZORO! YOU MADE IT! Awesome!” 

Smoker’s _pissed_ but not as pissed as Nami, who’s screaming at the gathered group of marines and pirates looking both scared and adoring, a combination he’d only seen Dart Brow manage and he’s _certain_ now, for sure, that the orange-haired woman really is a witch. 

He doesn’t get a chance to dwell on it any longer there’s a repetitive jerking on his coat that gets his attention. _Who would even_ _dare_ _?_ “Zoro, Zoro, is this the Marine Lady? The one from Punk Hazard? Did she fall in? Set her down in the infirmary, we need to warm her up! Is that blood on her forehead? Hmm. She should be fine but we need to check on it!” Zoro growls under his breath as Chopper's loud words draw the attention of the rest of the crew, Smoker’s glare intensifying and Robin laughing behind her hand. Brook and Franky just look intrigued but the Euro-Cook is furious, red-faced, leg twitching, torn between attacking Zoro and running to Tashigi’s side. 

“HOW DARE YOU, MOSS HEAD? FIRST YOU’RE THE REASON SHE ENDS UP IN THE OCEAN, AND NOW YOU’RE THE ONE HOLDING HER? OH, I DON’T THINK SO, MARIMO, I DON’T THINK SO.”

“OH, I’M THE REASON WHY SHE WENT OVERBOARD? Please! She fucking tripped and fell, Curly Q, so don’t even start!”

Shifting his stance, Zoro’s hands itch, ready to grab his sword before Nami’s first floors the blond to the ground. She’s fuming as she snarls “Just GO, Zoro. And Sanji, REALLY?”

She’s still sleeping, but he figures she’ll wake up eventually. _Always dramatic, the woman. Always yelling, always finding an argument, and now even taking her sweet time in waking up. Typical._

Zoro’s not sure why the ship is so cold, or maybe it’s just the Thousand Sunny's infirmary, but it was freezing. He’s sick and tired of the cold. He’d been cold the entire day, fighting with marines and jumping in to save _her_ and he’d been cold the past few hours waiting. _Then again, the sun had set. And is that Smoker and Luffy drinking on Smoker’s ship?_ He’d never understood that friendship, the rivalry that the two had. 

He wasn’t one to talk. He had a passed out marine that fought him at every turn- but he liked to think they weren’t _that_ bad. They’d gotten to an almost friendship of sorts after Punk Hazard, their run-ins often pairing them together. But there were plenty of times that they ran into each other at ports and harbors. Sometimes she chased him, sometimes they just walked and explored. Once or twice, they’d even gotten drunk, Tashigi would even tell dirty jokes or even smoke a cigar, smoke blowing out of her lips. Or beat you so fast in poker- she’d won against _Nami._

 _She’s cute when she’s not badgering me,_ he muses, _and I hardly ever get to see her with her hair down… Not bad, Glasses, not bad._ Eying her figure, he watches as she stirs. _So tiny under the blankets, and maybe she’s tall but everything about her is dainty, minus her hips and a little further up._ His eye stares at her small feet covered by the thick blanket and travels up, land on her chest, and then slowly make their way up to her face, watches as her eyelids flutter, then slowly open and close.

_She’s definitely grown... Fuller, curvy. While Tashigi had been sickly skinny and langley back in the East Blue, she’d filled out that's for sure. And she’s only gotten stronger, her legs are firmer and her stomach is lean, but there’s strength in that core, tiny though it was._

“Ah, Z-Z-Zoro?”

Voice raspy, head-turning to look around and he doesn’t know why but he’s so _pissed right now_. She’d finally woken up, that was good. _But she shouldn’t have been out in the first place, shouldn’t have fallen into the water, to begin with._

“Can’t be a good marine if you’re constantly falling overboard.”

“What-what? I don’t ma-make it a habit to fall over, Zoro." Looking around the room, gaze finally landing on him, and eyes widen, “You haven’t changed! Y-you’re still soaked. What are you thinking!” Well, guess he’d said that out loud. _Oops? Or more like sorry not sorry. Stupid woman._

“You shouldn’t have fallen into the ocean. We shouldn’t have been fighting during that stupid storm _anyway_ .” _Blame that one on Smoker, who was determined to “Catch those Goddamn Strawhats, once and for all!” and Luffy’s own “It’s SMOKEY! We’ve gotta fight them!” Who the fuck puts their Captain’s in charge of anything, let alone a ship and a crew of people? Jesus, they scraped the bottom of the barrel for her G-5 idiots._

He’d harp on her for not having better men, but he’s met them. Euro-cook wannabes, maybe, but they did respect her. And they’d definitely die for her. _Just mostly useless in battle. Tough draw of the cards there, Glasses._

“You tripped, Nerd. You _tripped_ and _then_ a current got you.”

He’s pretty sure he’s glaring at her, but that incredibly dense woman dared to have her head turned down like _she was fucking ignoring him. Is she ignoring me? I don’t fucking think so._

She just huffs, hair blowing away from her face with the action and oh, she’s _annoyed_. He can tell by the way her shoulders tense for just a split second but then she just… deflates. “Why waste the energy in arguing? I _did_ trip. I know how stupid that was. Point made.”

“You can ignore me all you want but you’re the one that literally almost _tripped to death.”_

 _“_ I know-”

“Tch, ‘course you “know”. But yet you do dumb shit like this _all the time._ One of these days, we’re going to run into Smokey and you won’t be there. You know that, right?”

And of course, he isn’t just talking about her tripping and falling, oh no. He’d known about a lot of other things, a lot of other pirates she probably shouldn’t have faced but she’d done so anyway. He’s always amazed she isn’t dead yet. Somehow she’s had the best dumb luck he’s ever seen.

He’d be damned if he admitted it but he was almost a little worried about when that luck would _stop and what the fuck happens if she trips when she’s fighting a_ **_real_** _enemy? What happens when she and Smokey go up against another wanna-be Yonko, or shit, what if they get into it with Teach?_

They both say a lot with silence. His angry, hers, apologetic, a tad annoyed. _Too fucking stubborn to say anything_ but her eyes keep running back to his face, _She’s the one annoyed? At me? More like be annoyed at your own body, or lack of self-awareness. Tch._

Silence, “Unless you’ve already given up. Which is pathetic even for you. Weren’t the swords crying? Didn’t you want to free the meito out of the hands of criminals or something crazy like that?”

“I still _do_ , Zoro!” Oh, she’s mad. Breathing heavy, and her fingers are clenching the blanket, and red is climbing up her pale neck, settling onto her cheeks. _And why the fuck does she look so gorgeous when she’s all riled up?_

“.. You can quit staring. I’m not determined to die anytime soon.”

“Could have fooled me, woman. You’ve got a death wish without even trying... Then again, I’ve seen you trip and almost impale yourself on your own sword before. Shit, maybe you ARE trying.”

Pursed lips, “Oh really? Well, why don’t we fight and see!”

“Kyah, you don’t even have your eyes open and you want to fight? Don’t be dumb, woman. Besides, wouldn’t you need your sword for that?”

Smirking, he waits for her answer but doesn’t expect her soft mutter “Well, yeah… You’ve got Shigure... Don’t you?”

“And what makes you think that?” She lets out a frustrated breath, clearly unimpressed.

“Because. You wouldn’t let a sword be thrown away like that. Besides, I didn’t think you’d hate me so much that you’d let my sword be lost out in the sea.”

“Tch. What do you know.” Zoro grunted.

“Zoro, do you have it or not? I swear to God-” 

“Yeah, yeah I’ve got it.”

“I guess we were overdue for a run-in, huh?”

His name, twice in one night. It _was almost always Roronoa, but occasionally now he’s Zoro?_ Yeah, there was something wrong with the otherwise proud and honorable marine woman. _She just gets under my skin, and I don’t like it._ And to this day, the damned woman still tried to take his swords from him, resorting to sleight of hand and dumb tricks. Like he wouldn’t fucking notice her nimbly moving his swords further and further away from him when they were meditating on the beach or slowly slide them into her bag when they were eating in some shit hole, 3rd rate tavern. 

She’s eying his swords laid on the table to her side and he can see the wheels turning her head. _Don’t you even fuckin’ try, Marine, don’t even think about it._

Before she can be tempted to follow through on any of her sword stealing schemes, Zoro reclines further back in his seat, his coat opening and he doesn’t miss the way her eyes dart back to him at the noise. _Keh, she doesn’t even know what to look at anymore. My swords or me. Keep turning your eyes that fast, Glasses and they’re bound to get stuck._

“T-thank you.” Her voice is soft, low. Zoro just scoffs. 

“Thanking a pirate? Guess you did hit your head hard.”

“You’re not just a pirate-”

“Huuuuh? Since when?”

“- We-well, you’re not just a pirate anymore. I mean-”

“But I’m still a _pirate-”_

 **“But you’re also my friend! Or-or something like it. I mean… Aren’t we?”** He’s shocked by her loud voice, suddenly echoing in the otherwise quiet room. 

He can’t help but stare at her for the hundredth time that night. Zoro doesn't have a lot of friends, but he’d reckon that all of his friends are _strong_. Strong in every sense of the world. _They fucking call us supernovas, the worst generation. My crew’s one of the most wanted in the world, with the bounty to back that shit up..._

But Tashigi? _She’s just… not. She’s fragile, like the bird she was named after. Pale, slender, and weak. Her body’s marked by scars, and he’s always impressed by how many times she’s fallen and been cut down only to rise again. More like a Phoenix than a Tashigi._

 _The scar on her collarbone, a set of two jagged lines, a reminder that a part of her belongs to_ ** _him._ ** _Small hands, but a strong grip on the hilt of her swords regardless; but honest eyes. And that was never good. The woman says too much with her eyes._

_Who the fuck gives their word to a pirate, and then makes good on it? Those fucking kids from Punk Hazard… And because she’d promised the witch proof that the kids were safe she sent postcards? Fucking postcards?_

_I don’t think I’d ever be friends with someone so …. So …_ Different.

“Yeah, Glasses. We’re friends.”

Zoro doesn't know what it means to be friends with a marine, or at least this marine woman, ‘Cause _that woman is a fucking breed all her own_ , but he does know maybe it isn’t so bad.

Zoro still hates the cold. _Seriously, why isn’t Franky fixing the Goddamn heat? Call me crazy but isn’t that his damn job?_ And can’t help but shiver slightly as a cold chill settles across the room. 

Sigh. “You know, that’s the third time you’ve shivered in the past thirty seconds..”

He’s barely got his coat stretched out across him, “Whatever. It wasn’t thirty seconds!”

“No. You’re right. You just did it _again_ and _again?_ Just admit that you’re cold-”

“I am NOT that cold!”

“Not that cold? Not that cold? You’re literally shivering where you’re sitting. We’re docked at a winter island, Zoro, and it’s storming.” A deep sigh, followed the rustling of fabric _What is the godforsaken woman doing now? Just when I close my eye. Whatever. She’ll definitely let me know if she falls off the bed. Doubt she can make it the door anyway._

Then again, he’s seen her get a bite taken out of her shoulder by a harpy and try to keep moving, try to keep pushing on. _That stupid, stubborn woman._ Which had proven to be worthless- she’d passed out and he’d had to carry her through the entire base. _But oh, the dumb cook’s face had been priceless._

He doesn’t feel her lightly tapping her bed or clearing her throat. No, what gets his attention are the 2 pillows she throws at his face in rapid succession. And her fucking loud huff. _Oh yeah, throw shit at me but I’m the bad guy? And you’re annoyed with me? I’m surrounded by crazy women._

“OI, you almost took my eye out!”

“Please! It’d be your fault! BESIDES, I was trying to get your attention!” She pokes his shoulder after each word.

“Well, you sure of shit have it _now._ ”

“Well, I was thinking-”

“Yeah?”

“Well, you’re cold, and you apparently don’t seem like leaving-” Her arms are flailing as she grows more flustered.

“Ahh, trying to get me to leave already, Glasses? Not polite.” He can’t help it if he smirks.

“UGH. And you’re cold-”

Crossing his arms, “I’m not cold, for the last damn time, woman-”

“Zoro, you’re literally shivering while yelling at me. I’m impressed by the dedication, _but if you just listened to me._ Why don’t we just share?”

It doesn't take much more before he’s wrapped around her, cocooned in a blanket, _It’s nice and warm-those Euro Cook jr’s better not come in_ , his swords on the table beside him. _I don’t fucking think so woman. Not tonight._ He lays there, spends a few minutes listening to the sound of his crewmates settling across the ship, can hear Smoker and Luffy drunkenly singing off-key.

“Mmm, still cold?”

“Shut it, woman.”

“Mm, so that’s a no-”

“Just. SHUT. IT. Cap’n.”

Zoro really hates the cold, but he doesn’t mind it if he gets to warm up this way.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [sweetsangos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweetsango/pseuds/Sweetsangos) and [lunamars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunnamars/pseuds/lunamars) who helped me by beta reading this hot, hot mess. (If you think it's long now, it was *even longer* before!)
> 
> Side Note: Join our Zotash Discord. Join the cult and chat with some pretty amazing and awesome people!  
> [Zotash Discord](https://discord.gg/FYxvjb).


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